JP2006227951A - Discrimination device and roller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transport/sensor concurrent sensor counter conveying roller, constructed by disposing a conveying roller for giving conveying power on the same axis of a sensor facing roller for improving and stabilizing the reading performance of bill-reading sensor for a bill-reading device and relatively simple and compact bill-reading device. <P>SOLUTION: The bill-reading device disposes a fixed driving axis, which does not move in the vertical directions, facing the bill-reading sensor, a low-hardness sensor facing roller, which secures a fixed gap to the bill-reading sensor, at the position which faces the bill-reading sensor, and a high-hardness transport roller than the sensor facing roller, at a position which does not face the bill-reading sensor. At a position which faces the transport roller, the sensor facing the transport roller is constituted by disposing a tension roller at the position which makes contact with the transport roller. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a discrimination device configured inside an automatic teller machine for handling banknotes, and in particular, a roller disposed with respect to a paper sheet reading device (eg, magnetic sensor) constituting the discrimination device. It is about.

  Paper that reads information printed on paper sheets to determine the type and authenticity of paper sheets currently used in automatic teller machines (ATMs), automatic teller machines or deposit machines, securities handling machines, etc. A leaf reading sensor is disposed on the conveyance path. Related techniques include Patent Documents 1 and 2.

JP-A-2-50289 JP 2000-113268 A

  A problem in a magnetic reading sensor or the like for detecting and reading magnetic information of a paper sheet will be described below.

  First, when the contact roller is arranged at the opposite part of the paper sheet reading sensor, the sensor surface and the outer periphery of the roller are in contact with each other. Therefore, when this roller is driven, it rotates with the sensor detection surface that is a fixed surface. Abrasion due to rubbing of the outer periphery of the roller, which is an object, becomes a problem. Therefore, it is not desirable to obtain a driving force for this roller. For example, the contact roller is stopped when the paper sheet is not conveyed, and the conveyance amount of the paper sheet is adjusted only when the paper sheet is conveyed. Even if it is arranged as an idling roller in which the driven roller rotates, a sufficient conveying force cannot be applied to the paper sheets.

  Second, when a non-contact roller is arranged at a distance of about one sheet on the opposite part of the sheet reading sensor, a certain amount of driving can be given. Transportation needs to be considered. As a countermeasure, a mechanism for sliding the roller in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction or a mechanism for deforming the outer diameter of the roller can be considered. However, the configuration is such that the paper sheet is sandwiched and transported by a driving roller that gives a constant transport speed to the paper sheet and a sensor surface having a frictional resistance that does not follow the transport amount of the paper sheet. Because of the difference in frictional resistance, the conveyance performance is not stable.

  Therefore, it is not an effective solution to dispose a transport roller that gives a stable transport force to the paper sheet at the opposite portion of the sensor. Also, in order to stabilize and improve the paper sheet conveyance performance, a method of arranging a conveyance roller in front of and behind the paper sheet reading sensor or forming a paper sheet reading sensor shape in accordance with the interval between the conveying roller shafts. However, there are problems such as an increase in the size of the device, an increase in price, and restrictions on the sensor size.

  In order to solve a part of the problems described above, a fixed drive shaft that does not move up and down is arranged opposite to the paper sheet reading sensor arranged on one side of the conveyance path surface of the paper sheet reading device, and is on the same axis. Arranges multiple elastic rollers of different hardness. In addition, at a position opposite to the paper sheet reading sensor, there is one elastic roller having a low hardness or a certain clearance with the paper sheet reading sensor for the purpose of stabilizing the distance between the paper sheet reading sensor and the paper sheet. Place multiple. One or a plurality of conveying rollers, which are elastic rollers having a hardness higher than that of the elastic roller, are arranged at positions where the paper sheet reading sensor is not opposed. A tension roller that is rotatably supported to follow the thickness of the paper sheet and the conveyance amount is disposed at a position where the conveyance roller is in contact with the conveyance roller.

  There are effects of stabilizing the conveyance of the paper sheet and increasing the reading accuracy of the paper sheet by the sensor. In addition, the conveyance roller and the tension roller supported so as to be rotatable in the vicinity of the front and rear of the paper sheet reading sensor can be eliminated, and the paper sheet reading device can be prevented from being increased in size and multi-configuration.

  An automatic cash transaction apparatus (ATM) automatically performs transactions such as depositing and withdrawing banknotes, and identifies banknotes in the course of the transaction. The discrimination of banknotes is performed by a discrimination unit (also referred to as a discrimination unit) as one unit, and this discrimination unit mainly determines the denomination and authenticity of banknotes. Main components constituting the discrimination unit are an optical sensor for irradiating a bill with light of a certain wavelength and detecting reflected light or transmitted light, and a magnetic sensor (magnetic reading sensor) for detecting magnetism contained in the bill. There is. Of these, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, focusing on the arrangement and configuration of rollers in the vicinity of the magnetic sensor.

FIG. 1 illustrates a part of a discrimination unit, and a magnetic reading sensor (also referred to as a paper sheet reading device or a paper sheet reading sensor) in consideration of reading performance of magnetic information printed on banknotes, improvement of conveyance performance, and stability. The side view which shows the principal part of one Embodiment centering on is shown. Note that parts and parts that are not particularly related to the present invention, such as the substrate, casing, and optical sensor of the discrimination unit, are omitted.
Conveying guides 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d that secure a predetermined interval are opposed to each other in the conveying path 1 that conveys paper sheets (banknotes) 6. Further, the transport guide 2 includes an upstream transport roller 3a and a downstream transport roller 3b, and tension rollers 5a and 5b are arranged at positions facing each other. The tension rollers 5a and 5b are supported by pressing springs 4a and 4b so as to be in contact with the transport rollers 3a and 3b, and are rotatable with the transport roller 3 rotated by driving. The paper sheet 6 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in the conveyance guide 2 by being sandwiched between the conveyance roller 3 and the tension roller 5. A paper sheet reading sensor 7 for reading the characteristics of the bill is arranged on the transport path 1 with a detection surface 8 parallel to the paper sheet transport direction. In the facing portion, a conveying / sensor facing roller (also simply referred to as an elastic roller) 9 is disposed at a position where a certain clearance (interval) from the paper sheet reading sensor 7 is secured with a fixed shaft driving roller. The reading sensor 7 reads the magnetic information 10 of the paper sheet 6 being conveyed. Note that the paper sheet is conveyed in both directions from upstream to downstream (in the direction of the arrow in the drawing) and downstream to upstream, and the sensor 7 can detect the magnetic information of the paper sheet in both directions. Since the disposition interval between the transport rollers 3a and 3b is wider than the width of the paper sheet, the transport / sensor facing roller 9 has a banknote transport force to be described later.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the detailed relationship of the conveyance / sensor facing roller 9 and the positional relationship between the paper sheet reading sensor 7 will be mainly described. 2 shows a front view as viewed from the upstream or downstream direction of FIG.
One characteristic of the conveyance / sensor facing roller 9 is that a plurality of two types of rubber rollers having different hardnesses are arranged in the axial direction of the coaxial 11.
First, a description will be given of a roller positioned at a facing portion of the paper sheet reading sensor 7. As shown in the figure, a plurality of sensor facing rollers 12 (five in the figure) are attached and fixed to the shaft 11, and a rubber roller material of low hardness is used. The low hardness rubber is a measuring method of “JIS K 6253”, and has a rubber hardness in the range of 15 to 30 HS. In this embodiment, silicon rubber having a rubber hardness of 15 HS is used. The rubber hardness of the sensor facing roller 12 is set in consideration of the fact that the load torque does not become larger than the motor torque when the elastic roller outer shape is passed while double-feeding and paper sheets including abnormal medium transport are deformed.
The roller that does not face the sensor 7, that is, the transport roller 3c will be described. The conveying roller 3c is attached and fixed to the shaft 11 as shown in the drawing, and is arranged so as to sandwich the sensor facing roller 12 on both sides. Further, the conveyance roller 3c is harder than the rubber material of the sensor facing roller 12, and a urethane roller having a rubber hardness in the range of 70 to 90 HS, and in this embodiment, a rubber hardness of 90 HS is used. By setting the hardness to high, it is possible to prevent wear due to friction during the conveyance of the paper sheet, and it is also possible to stably convey the paper sheet. Two transport rollers 3c are arranged on the left side of the sensor facing roller 12 and two on the right side. A tension roller 5c is disposed on each of the transport rollers 3c, and is supported by a pressing spring 4c so as to be in contact with the transport roller 3c. The shaft 11 is rotated by a driving motor (not shown), and the conveying roller 3c is rotated by the driving force, but the tension roller 5c is also rotated with the rotation.

As described above, the conveyance / sensor facing roller 9 is characterized by being a roller using rubber materials having different hardnesses, but is also characterized by a difference in roller diameter.
As described above, while improving the reading performance of the paper sheet reading sensor 7, it is necessary to consider the stable conveyance of the medium. As a medium conveyed to the identification unit, that is, the paper sheet reading sensor 7, in addition to a single banknote, a multi-fed banknote, a folded banknote, a paper sheet that is not a banknote, an abnormal medium that is not a paper sheet, or the like Is also possible. The roller diameter, arrangement relationship, and roller width suitable for dealing with these media will be described.

  A certain gap (interval) D is secured between the outer diameter of the sensor facing roller 12 which is a part of the conveying / sensor facing roller 9 and the paper sheet reading sensor 7. To ensure this, both ends of the conveyance / sensor facing roller 9 are held by the adjusting plates 13a and 13b. In addition, the driving force from the outside is received by the driving gear 14 arranged on the shaft of the conveying / sensor facing roller 9 to drive the conveying / sensor facing roller 9. In the present embodiment, the gap D is 0.25 mm, and a gap approximately twice as large as the average thickness of the paper sheets to be handled is secured. Thereby, even when paper sheets including double feeding and abnormal medium conveyance are conveyed, stable conveyance performance can be ensured.

In addition, in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance surface in the sheet conveyance direction (the front-rear direction in the figure), H is illustrated as the conveyance height of the sheet. The diameter of the conveying roller 3c is set so as to be the center of the upper and lower conveying guide 2 in FIG. In this example, the conveyance roller diameter of the conveyance roller 3c is set to φ19.6 mm. In order to read the magnetic information of the paper sheet by the sensor 7, the detection can be performed with higher accuracy as the sensor 7 is brought into contact with the surface. Thus, in order to pass the paper sheet 6 in contact with the paper sheet reading sensor detection surface 8, the paper sheet reading sensor detection surface 8 of the paper sheet reading sensor 7 has the paper sheet conveyance height H. Arrange them to be the same height. In other words, the contact position between the conveyance roller 3c and the tension roller 5c is set on the same surface as the detection surface 8 of the sensor 7. On the other hand, it is necessary to ensure the gap D described above, and the sensor facing roller 12 is disposed on the same axis as the transport roller 3c. Therefore, the diameter of the sensor facing roller 12 is set to a diameter smaller than the diameter of the transport roller 3c, and specifically, the diameter of the sensor facing roller is set to φ19.1 mm.
As described in the above feature, the hardness of the sensor facing roller 12 is lower than the hardness of the transport roller 3c. Furthermore, it is desirable that the axial width of the sensor facing roller 12 is narrower than the axial width of the transport roller 3c. This is because the outer diameter of the sensor facing roller 12 is deformed during heavy running or abnormal medium conveyance so that the medium can easily pass through.

  In consideration of the above, in the present embodiment, the conveying roller 3c has a diameter of 19.6 mm, a width of 5 mm, and a hardness of 90 ° (HS), and the sensor facing roller 12 has a diameter of φ19.1 mm, a width of 2.5 mm, and a hardness of 15 °.

  Here, the role of the sensor facing roller 12 will be further described. Basically, the sensor facing roller 12 does not need a strong conveying force for conveying paper sheets. This is because a conveying force is obtained by sandwiching paper sheets between the conveying roller 3c and the tension roller 5c. However, even if it is a genuine bill conveyed to the sensor 7 and it is a single bill, it bends upward on the sensor surface 8 in FIG. It becomes difficult. The sensor facing roller 12 has a function (stabilization function of banknote transport) for suppressing the vertical transport variation of the banknote transport surface. In consideration of conveyance of multi-feed banknotes and media other than banknotes, the sensor facing roller 12 is lower than the hardness of the transfer roller 3c and narrower than the roller width, and a predetermined distance between the sensor surface 8 of the sensor 7 and the sensor surface 8. D is secured. As an alternative to the sensor facing roller 12, a plurality of members made of the same material and not in the shape of a roller may be provided at this position. However, it is possible that a paper sheet is caught on the member itself and a jam occurs. As in the form, the roller shape arranged coaxially with the conveying roller 3c is better.

Subsequently, the description will be made by paying attention to the interval and arrangement of the rollers arranged in the axial direction.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modification of FIG. As shown in the drawing, the sensor facing roller 12 (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) with respect to the conveying roller 3 (3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h) and the tension roller 5 (5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h). ) And the paper sheet reading sensor 7 (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) are alternately arranged. Thus, by arranging the staggered pattern at a predetermined interval, it is possible to read the magnetic information of the full width of the paper sheet 6. However, as compared with the example of FIG. 2, since a plurality of sensors 7 are prepared, the number of parts increases and the apparatus becomes expensive. The rubber material of the sensor facing roller, the distance D from the sensor 7 and the like are the same as described above, and the description thereof is omitted (the same applies to FIG. 4).

  FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of FIG. In addition, the code | symbol is changed for convenience of explanation. Compared to the modified example of FIG. 3, the magnetic sensor 7 can be formed as a single unit, and in particular, can detect and read magnetic information 10 near the center of the paper sheet 15 being conveyed. A sensor facing roller is disposed at a position facing the sensor 7, and a total of four transport rollers 3 d, 3 e, 3 f, and 3 g are disposed at both ends in the axial direction. Further, rotatable tension rollers 5d, 5e, 5f, and 5g are supported by and pressed against the respective conveying rollers 3 (see FIG. 4A). Accordingly, the banknotes are conveyed on the magnetic sensor 7 by being sandwiched between the conveying roller 3 and the tension roller 5.

FIG. 4B shows the arrangement interval of the rollers in the axial direction.
The transporting space L in the axial direction of the paper sheet is a space having a certain margin with respect to the width of the maximum paper sheet handled by the ATM, that is, transported to the discrimination section. On the other hand, variations in the transport posture such as shift and skew in the transport space L are also taken into consideration for the minimum size paper sheet 15 to be handled. That is, the sensor 7 is arranged so that the magnetic information 10 of the paper sheet 15 passes on the detection surface 8 of the paper sheet reading sensor 7 regardless of the position in the transport space L where the minimum size paper sheet 15 is transported. The conveying roller 3 is disposed.

  In order to ensure the conveyance performance by the conveyance roller 3, on one side of the sensor 7, the conveyance force is transmitted to the paper sheet at least at one place, preferably at two places or more (in the figure, two places on one side). The reason why two or more locations are desirable is that when a paper sheet is held and transported at one place, the paper sheet is centered on one point held by the resistance received when the paper sheet comes into contact with the transport path or the like. This is because the product rotates and the conveyance performance is not stable.

  The intervals P1, P2, and P3 between the conveyance rollers 3d, 3e, 3f, and 3g adjacent to the conveyance rollers 3d, 3e, 3f, and 3g are set to be equal to or less than the width L1 of the minimum size paper sheet 15 to be handled. As is apparent from the figure, the distance P2 between the two transport rollers 3e and 3f at the center is the farthest, and the width center distance P2 of the transport rollers is 100.1 mm. The other conveyance roller intervals are the width center distances P1 and P3 = 16.4 mm of the conveyance rollers. As a means for ensuring stable conveyance performance even when a sheet is sandwiched at least at one place, the conveyance rollers 3d or 3e, 3f or 3g are formed in one roller shape, the rubber width R in the axial direction and the tension roller 5 By increasing the axial width S of the paper sheet, it is possible to prevent the paper sheet from rotating even if it receives resistance when it contacts the conveyance path or the like.

  As described above, the sheet reading performance can be ensured, and the conveying / sensor facing roller 9 at the opposite portion of the sheet reading sensor 7 can have a conveying force. It is possible to eliminate the transport rollers that are arranged close to the front and rear. Further, even when a double feed or an abnormal medium is conveyed, the sensor facing roller 12 can pass a multi-feed banknote or an abnormal banknote due to deformation of the outer diameter.

  In other words, a fixed driving roller that does not move up and down is provided with a low-rigidity elastic roller for facing the paper sheet reading sensor and a transport roller that is a harder elastic body than the elastic roller for facing the paper sheet reading sensor. Even when a multi-feed or abnormal medium is conveyed by arranging, the low hardness elastic body roller of the paper sheet reading sensor facing portion can pass the conveyed banknote by deformation of the outer diameter. Further, a conveyance roller which is an elastic roller having a hardness higher than that of the low hardness elastic body roller of the opposed portion of the paper sheet reading sensor arranged coaxially and not facing the paper sheet reading sensor is rotatably supported. A conveying force can be applied to the paper sheet by the tension roller.

The side view which shows one actual form of the paper sheet reading apparatus of this invention The front view which shows the detail of the conveyance and sensor opposing roller of this invention The block diagram which shows the positional relationship of the conveyance and sensor opposing roller of this invention, and a paper sheet reading sensor Another configuration diagram showing the positional relationship between the conveying and sensor facing roller and the paper sheet reading sensor of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

1 ... transport path,
2a to 2d ... conveyance guide, 3a to 3g ... conveyance roller, 4a to 4g ... pressure spring, 5a to 5g ... tension roller, 6 ... paper sheet, 7 ... paper sheet reading sensor, 8 ... detection surface, 9 ... conveyance Cum sensor facing roller, 10 ... magnetic information, 11 ... shaft, 12 ... sensor facing roller, 13a, 13b ... adjustment plate, 14 ... drive gear, 15 ... minimum size paper sheet

Claims (19)

A roller disposed in the vicinity of a reading sensor for detecting and reading information of a conveyed paper sheet,
The roller has a plurality of rollers coaxially arranged and a plurality of elastic rollers having different hardnesses,
A roller comprising: a first elastic roller disposed at a position facing the reading sensor; and a second elastic roller having a hardness higher than that of the first elastic roller disposed at a position not opposed to the reading sensor. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
The second elastic roller includes a driving roller that applies a driving force to the paper sheet,
A tension roller that rotates with the rotation of the drive roller;
A roller characterized in that the paper sheet is sandwiched and conveyed by the drive roller and the tension roller. The roller according to claim 2, wherein
A roller characterized in that the driving roller and the tension roller are arranged such that a contact position between the driving roller and the tension roller is substantially the same as a sensor surface of the reading sensor. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
A roller characterized in that the first elastic roller is arranged with a predetermined interval between an outer diameter of the first elastic roller and the reading sensor. The roller according to claim 4, wherein
The roller is characterized in that an interval of about twice the average thickness of the paper sheet to be conveyed is secured as the predetermined interval. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
A roller characterized in that an axial thickness of the first elastic roller is made thinner than an axial thickness of the second elastic roller. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
A roller characterized in that the diameter of the first elastic roller is smaller than the diameter of the second elastic roller. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
The first elastic roller has a plurality of elastic rollers along a sensor surface of the reading sensor. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
The second elastic roller has a plurality of elastic rollers on both sides of the first elastic roller. The roller according to claim 9, wherein
A roller having a plurality of the elastic rollers on one side of the second elastic roller. The roller according to claim 9, wherein
A roller characterized in that the second elastic roller is arranged so as to be narrower than the width of the smallest size paper sheet that conveys an axial interval between one elastic roller and the other elastic roller. The roller according to claim 1, wherein
The second elastic roller has first and second rollers disposed on one side of the first elastic roller, and third and fourth rollers disposed on the other side. The first roller and the second roller The axial distance between the second roller and the third roller is wider than the axial distance between the third roller and the fourth roller. In the discrimination device that discriminates the denomination and authenticity of the banknotes being conveyed,
A magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic information contained in the banknote, and a rower provided on a shaft facing the magnetic sensor,
The roller includes a sensor facing roller that faces the sensor surface of the magnetic sensor, and a transport roller that is disposed on both sides of the sensor facing roller at a position that does not face the sensor surface and that transports the bill in contact with a bill. Including
A discrimination apparatus, wherein a predetermined interval is provided between an outer diameter of the sensor facing roller and the sensor surface. The identification device according to claim 13,
An identification device comprising a tension roller capable of idling and holding and transporting the bill and the bill. The identification device according to claim 13,
The discrimination device characterized in that the hardness of the sensor facing roller is lower than the hardness of the transport roller. The discrimination device according to claim 15,
The sensor-opposing roller is formed of silicon rubber having a rubber hardness in a range of 15 to 30 HS. The identification device according to claim 13,
A discrimination device, wherein the diameter of the sensor facing roller is smaller than the diameter of the transport roller. The identification device according to claim 17,
A discrimination device characterized in that a roller diameter of the sensor facing roller is φ19.1 mm. The identification device according to claim 13,
An identification apparatus characterized in that an axial width of the sensor facing roller is made smaller than an axial width of the transport roller.

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